The Murder at World's End by Ross Montgomery ~ a Review

by Donna Huber

A new year is a great time to start a new series, and this murder mystery novel is a great one to start with.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free audiobook was provided for an honest review.

January 2026; HarperAudio; 9780063458741
audio (9 h 59m), ebook, print; mystery

When I picked up this book, I thought it might be like The Last Murder at the End of the World by Stuart Turton. The story does begin with the characters preparing for the end of the world as Halley's Comet is about to pass by. But it is not a post-apocalyptic murder mystery.

The World's End referred to in the title is the name of the estate where the story takes place. But like The Last Murder at the End of the World, The Murder at World's End is an excellent murder mystery. 

The Lord of the Manor has ordered the east wing completely sealed, with every person sealed in their rooms as the comet passes by. He fears that there will be a deadly gas released that will wipe out the population. However, the only person found dead the next day is his Lordship. 

This locked-room mystery is excellent. The audiobook is enhanced with "interludes" that sound like a radio program or news bulletin. The narrators did a wonderful job, and it was just a pleasure to listen to the audiobook. I highly recommend listening to it.

I loved the characters. Steven Pike and Miss Decima Stockingham are great together. Pike shows up at Tithe Hall looking for a job as a second footman just as the household is about to start on the apocalypse preparations. Miss Decima Stockingham is an elderly relative of the Viscount. She is cantankerous, and the staff kind of fear her (if you're a Downton Abbey fan, she is kind of like Dowager Countess Violet Crawley). 

Pike has a criminal record and is scared he will be blamed for everything. Decima is sharp and a little bored, so she endeavors to solve the mystery. Particularly as the police officer assigned to the case is too adept. She needs an ally as she isn't too spry and is wheelchair bound. She chooses Steven Pike for the task.

I didn't know for certain that this was the start of a series until I started this review and noticed that Goodreads lists it as book 1 in the Stockingham and Pike series. The ending was left open for more mysteries, and I'm glad that there will be more. 

It was just a fun book to listen to. If you are a fan of Agatha Christie, this book definitely has a feel of one of her locked-door mysteries. 

I'm looking forward to seeing more of Stockingham and Pike.

Buy The Murder at World's End at Amazon

Donna Huber is an avid reader and natural encourager. She is the founder of Girl Who Reads and the author of how-to marketing book Secrets to a Successful Blog Tour.

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